Jul
28
2011
I made these Spring Ruffle Dresses about a month ago and we have been wearing them a lot! Nothing is more perfect for this age than a sundress: quick diaper changes, easy removal, and at this short length no restriction on movement. This is the very last of their quilt fabrics and bedroom fabrics (Basic Grey’s Sultry for Moda).
I used the Spring Ruffle Top tutorial on Sew Mama Sew with a couple of modifications.
First, I just used the tiny bit of fabric I had left for the skirt portion rather than measuring it and gathered it to fit the front portion in the center only.
Second, I cut the back bodice piece the same length as the back skirt piece and shirred it with elastic bobbin thread so it would grow with them and maybe be used as a top next year.
I think I also reduced all the width measurements of the bodice and strap pieces to 2 inches.
I think this is the perfect beginner clothing sewing pattern (hint hint, Jessica… I think you could totally do this for K, espeically without the shirring :-p)
Jul
27
2011I’m not a very visual person.
I think in words more often than not.
But sometimes an image will just stick and either inspire or haunt.
I have a haunting image stuck in my head from two nights ago.
We’ve really been struggling with sleep for about the past 9 days. Some nights they take 2 hours to fall asleep. Some nights they wake 2 hours before I want them up. Some nights they’re up for 2-4 hours in the middle of the night. Monday night was one of those nights. Someone was howling from about 10pm until 1am.
Mainly the issue is Bronwyn though often Aeralind will piggyback on her drama.
Bronwyn is a determined little critter. She will figure things out. She will risk her life and limb to jump into the pool face first. She will throw temper tantrums when we say no (even if we don’t see her. Seriously, I caught her lying by the kitchen door miserable for 5 minutes after Derek walked out one day apparently telling her she couldn’t come with him). She will test authority. She wants to know that your “no” is really no. She will make the better portion of 8 nights miserable because mommy decides that it’s time to get rid of the paci. It’s not even about the pacifier at this point. It’s about staying awake because she thinks she can.
Monday night I had enough. I was exhausted. I’m pregnant. I just wanted sleep. And, by golly, nothing would satisfy that child! I fiercely laid her down in her crib, wrapped her blanket around her, shoved her stuffed animal under her arm, and told her “NO WHINING!”
And I crushed her little spirit. I saw the look in her eyes. The hurt. I watched her little lip draw tight and tremble. And I left the room before more damage was done.
She continued her tirade for about 3 hours after that moment.
I was wrong. My attitude was wrong. My anger was wrong. My tone of voice was wrong. Yes, she’s a strong-willed child. I need to break her will, but I can’t crush her spirit in the meantime. Her strong-willed spirit makes her beautiful, especially when it’s used to discover and preserver through difficult things.
I’m not sure how these thoughts are supposed to lead into my gratitude post, but I wanted to share them here. To be real.
Counting 2091-2119 of the Completely Undeserved Gifts Christ Gives Me Each Day
- Girls demanding to try on their not quite finished “burd” dresses
- Bronwyn obediently pulling Aeralind’s thumb out of her mouth and the ensuing smiles
- Super excited “Yay!” and clapping when the girls accomplish something they this is difficult
- Lapful of snuggly babies
- 10 scattered buttons all found and applied to bird dresses
- Joy at the fountains
- Children who were breathing at 4-6 am- even if they were scream/whining
- Sweet surrendered prayer time at 5am
- All finally drifting to sleep in exhaustion
- No working pacifier distributed despite temptation
- vocabulary explosions
- being handed a toy and told “tank oo” a million times a day
- sweet visit with my sister in law and her husband
- Filling their trunk with hand-me-down goodies for theri little girl coming soon
- Taking maternity images
- Guest sleeping through crazy whiny night wakings
- Playing hard in the pool
- Bronwyn diving into the pool steps face first over and over
- Splashes with Aeralind
- Support from Nana as we struggle through sleep issues
- 2 full nights of sleep at least in the past 9
- Conviction about my anger and speech
- Reading The Strong-Willed Child
- More conviction
- Unexpectedly yummy diner
- A playdate/meeting where I could talk to grown ups and where girls who were overtired could stay awake
- This being the one UMOM meeting I could have missed in exchage for lseep
- Someone to watch the girls whil I wait out my glucose test
- Sister laughter on the couch together
Jul
19
2011Check the Hair (if it’s up)
Hiding under Bronwyn’s shaggy mop is this cute little face with a mane of adorable wisps. Bronwyn isn’t a fan of the comb right now so usually a ponytail is all I can manage.
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| Bronwyn’s Pretty Face! |
Now Aeralind…. oh, Aeralind is just a mess! She’ll sit there for hair styling and let me do the most elaborate things. Yesterday, she got her first set of braided pigtails. And this is what happened less than 10 minutes later
This is what always happens. If I can find the hair elastic, she might get it pulled back in a sloppy low ponytail… but otherwise her hair is left however she leaves it. 🙂
Jul
18
2011Yesterday morning, the girls and I baked muffins. I’ve let them knead dough before, but other than that this was their first experience in the kitchen.
About 1/3 of the way through the recipe, I had to go get the camera!
We look back at our own childhood or watch children and we long to do that all over again.
Maybe we can.
Maybe the secret to childhood isn’t innocent youth.
Maybe the secret to childhood is delighted joy taken in every moment.
The secret is seeing the wonder and breathing thanks.
Counting Gifts to be Thankful for #2071-2090
- Seeing Julia’s signature duct tape wrapped around a box at my breakfast spot.
- Sweet babies who let sick me lay on a mattress downstairs while they play contentedly
- Bronwyn’s new raised eyebrow face of delight!
- Cheery season- so short and full of yummy joy!
- Daily obsession with my canned goods. The girls take them out, stack them, put them in their pool, and the put them back up.
- Rock Star Hair
- 15 minute appointment at the Minute Clinic confirming I had an ear infection
- Me finally sleeping through the night after the girls have been doing it for 3 nights
- Significantly less ear pain/dizziness first thing in the morning
- Yogurt making in my crock pot
- Snack time
- Current kitchen paint related projects coming to a close (I promise.. photos by mid-August)
- Squealy girls pulling down my pants by the belt loops
- Waking up at 11 am to find no babies or husband in the house
- Daddy taking the girls hiking and birding all by himself
- Lunch together
- Clean kitchen floor
- Baking muffins with toddlers
- Pure delight in dumping their measuring cups of ingredients in the bowl
- Girls stealing cooling muffins to sample while mom and dad weren’t looking
Jul
15
2011I get asked all the time how I tell my girls apart.
For me it’s simple… the odds are low that Aeralind would be doing that particular activity (i.e. dangerously climbing every vertical surface at a park she’s never been too) and there’s no way Bronwyn would be doing that particular activity (i.e. sitting quietly and patiently trying to figure out how to play that darn harmonica that B already threw across the room in frustration). Their personalities are different.
Ofcourse, telling you this doesn’t make you more able to tell them apart if you haven’t spent a good amount of time getting to know each one.
So I thought I’d do a series of visual tutorials.
Telling the Girls Apart: Part 1
Check the hair (if it’s down).
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| Aeralind |
For some reason, Aeralind has grown a near perfect set of bangs. I’ve never cut the front of either girls’ hair so it must just be that baby hairs are just starting to grow in front for her. But her hair parts perfectly just left of middle leaving this natural set of bangs.
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| Bronwyn |
Bronwyn, however, does not have bangs. Nor does she have a natural part at this time. And if I try to remove the hair from in front of her eyes/nose she throws a fit. Tucking it behind her ears while wet to dry will not tame the mop. And barrettes only last as long as it takes her sister to notice the barrette and yank it out (ouch!). So Bronwyn walks around looking like a shaggy dog.. .and that’s okay with her (and me too).
